Things That Disturb The Night
by anonyreaderfan
Summary: Short one shot set after S1 Episode 22. For those who love all things Jed and John.


Disclaimer: The Tomorrow People is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

~ X ~

There is a female mentioned in this story. I leave it up to the reader to decide who it is.

~ X ~

"Wake up! John, wake up!" Jedikiah flipped on the light switch and moved swiftly over to grab John by the shoulders shaking him roughly.

John shuddered, looking around wildly.

Jedikiah had fallen asleep in his undershirt and trousers watching TV from a comfortable armchair. He had been woken by incoherent shouts mingled with one cry. "Help!"

He had rushed into John's bedroom to find him thrashing around.

As he gradually came to his senses, he looked up to see Jedikiah hovering over him. "I can't move." His voice was panicked.

"You've got yourself tangled up in the sheets. Stay still, and I'll get you free." Jedikiah pulled at them until he extricated John's arms and legs. The young man quickly sat up, chest heaving, covered in sweat. He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed at his eyes like a child. Those blue eyes were still wide open with fright.

Jedikiah sat on the edge of the bed. "What was it? What were you dreaming?"

"I was fighting to get to someone. But I couldn't find her. She was calling, and the harder I tried to reach her the farther away she went. I kept getting tangled up. Something was holding me back. Stopping me from getting close." John shook his head. "That's all I remember."

"Did you see her?"

John thought for a moment. "No. I never see her. I never really hear her voice. But I still know it's a her."

Jedikiah frowned. "This is the third time this week you've had this dream."

John shivered as the sweat on his body cooled. "It's not a dream. It's a nightmare."

Jedikiah pushed him down and over and covered him with the sheet and one blanket. "Go back to sleep."

John yielded to the pressure, allowing himself to be moved while at the same time asking, "why am I having these all of a sudden?"

"Don't know, kid," was the gruff response as Jedikiah stood and walked into the bathroom. He came back with a glass of water. John propped himself up on one arm and grabbed the glass with his free hand, gulping noisily as he drained it.

When he was done Jedikiah took it, placing it on a nearby nightstand while he gently pushed John back down, and once again tucked the sheet and blanket over him. He walked around the bed to turn off the overhead light. Jedikiah closed the door almost the entire way allowing just a sliver of light to shine through from the hallway. He came back to the bed, propping up two of the pillows against the headboard, punching them into position. He heeled off his shoes and sat slouching against the pillows, legs out in front of him, fingers laced over his stomach, settling in. "I'll stay til you go back to sleep."

John laughed self-consciously. "I'm not a kid, Jed. You don't have to stay."

"I'm not a baby, Jed. You don't have to stay." Jedikiah mimicked a child's voice. "Isn't that what you used to say when you had those nightmares when you were what? Nine years old."

John was struck by the memory. "I'd forgotten about that. I used to have nightmares for awhile after––after they shot my friend, and you'd stay with me til I slept." He lay quietly for a moment thinking about the old man at the newstand. He frowned as another thought occurred to him. "Howd ya know I wanted you to stay? I never asked you too."

John looked up at Jedikiah. He couldn't really see his features with only the sparse light shining in from the hall, but the half smile on Jedikiah's face was reflected in his tone. "You didn't have to ask, John. What you feel has always been written on your face. It's one of the things that struck me about you. As difficult as your life was, your face stayed open and honest. It always amazed me."

John, turning on his side towards Jed, pillowed his head on his arms. "I never thanked you for that. It meant a lot to me to have you there."

Jedikiah laughed quietly. "As I said, kid. Your face always said what was in your heart. I knew what it meant to you." He ruffled John's hair. "Go to sleep, son. I'm here. I'll make sure you're safe."

Those were the same words that Jedikiah had said to the nine year old, and John responded to them with the same trust that he had back then. His breathing soon evened out and deepened, and Jedikiah knew he was sleeping.

Jed sat for awhile looking down at the blonde head, shaded brown in the shadows. How he loved this kid. He sighed. He'd have to reinforce the conditioning with another shot and treatment tomorrow. The memories were trying to break through. He had hoped to avoid that but . . . His face hardened. He would not lose John. He had lost his brother, but he swore he would not lose the kid he considered his son. No matter what it took, and if worse came to worse no matter who he had to remove.

He and John were family. They would face the uncertain future together.

~ FIN ~


End file.
